Hogwarts Founders: The Lion and the Eagle
by vastrajennystrax
Summary: Hogwarts is filled with suspense as Muggle-borns are being mysteriously attacked. Hogwarts Professor Rowena Ravenclaw suspects one of her fellow teachers and founders of being responsible for the attacks and aims to help the students defend themselves. But will her secret love for the enigmatic Godric Gryffindor interrupt her quest for justice?
1. Requirement

As she walked down the torch-lit corridor away from the newly built hospital wing; her blue-silk skirts fluttering just above her dainty feet as she moved; an idea formed in her mind. There was only one man who would listen to her without judging her for making such an accusation. She headed towards the seventh-floor where he spent most of his time; a tear rolling down one cheek from her visit to the sick-beds and sweat down the other from the anticipation of what she was about to tell the wizard she could say anything to. She arrived at his office slightly later than expected; having to of course confirm that she was making the right choice and having to dodge the ghastly poltergeist who still hadn't told them his name; but nevertheless she got there without being detected by the others.

"Rowena? Are you OK? You appear to be shaken up by something" he asked and deduced the moment she had stepped through the archway.

"I am aware that you are busy Godric; but there is no one else I can talk to about this. You have already been extremely understanding on the matter" she replied shakily.

"Has there been another attack?"

"Alas; it was one of my own students this time. Helena Temple was found in one of the bathrooms covered in blood not long after the evening feast"

"And she is Muggle-born?"

"Half-blood; it appears the attackers have widened their target. I suspect that Salazar's students are behind this" she confessed. "Perhaps Salazar himself"

"And you came to me because you hoped my grudge against Slytherin would guarantee my allegiance in the matter?"

"Of course not! I'm sorry Godric. Helga only ever sees the best in people and swears that this grudge that Salazar has against Muggles is nothing more than harmless arrogance. I can't approach Salazar on the issue or I could be next!"

"So what do you propose we do?" Godric asked her.

"I was hoping you would have an answer to that very question"

"Let us assume; hypothetically of course, that Slytherin is in fact behind these attacks in some way. As I have told you already I am reasonably informed that he has built a secret chamber in the school which could serve his purpose on a much wider scale. Perhaps; if Slytherin's chamber _is _intended for attack; we need to prepare a defence".

"What do you mean?"

"We need somewhere to train our own students in secret; a place that will always be equipped with the necessary essentials based on the students' current needs (in this case equipment to practise defensive spells on) that cannot be detected by Slytherin or his students" he pondered.

"Could such a place exist?"

"It is possible"

"And what about Helga? Will her students have access to this place?"

"A place such as this should be available to anyone who is in need of its services and abilities. The flaw of course would allow access to the Slytherins but only if it didn't compromise the ensured safety of our own students who we would construct this place for".

"I like it Godric. Perhaps the place or room could do more than offer a training ground for students. Any need that a student has to satisfy could be found in this room. I'm sure there are various enchantments that can place the room in a permanent and eternal state of flux to act out of . . . . out of what? Necessity?"

"Not necessity, Rowena" he told her. "Requirement".


	2. Under the Staircase

"_Oppugno_" he exclaimed; flourishing his wand in Rowena's direction. The numerous little birds came soaring towards her before she stepped aside and watched them vanish as they hit the wall.

"Excellent Thomas!" Rowena cried with glee. "_Oppugno _can be a tricky spell to conquer but you have done brilliantly!" ; she patted him on the back and strolled across the room admiring the spells that the students of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were learning quicker than any of them had expected. She found Helga observing one of her own students attempting the _petrificus totalus _jinx which was a pioneering spell but was proving quite useful.

"Now this is very advanced magic" she heard Godric say to a group of sixth years a few paces away, "watch carefully; and remember; you need to think of the happiest memory that you can conjure and maintain it!" Godric Gryffindor was perhaps the most magnificent and mysterious man that Rowena had ever met; and the only man she had ever looked at for more than a few moments. His long brown hair was thrown behind his ears and positioned so as to draw focus to his magnificent golden eyes. His robes, as scarlet as the rubies on the sword attached to his belt, were fitted so perfectly that they moved in time to his graceful wrist actions.

"_Expecto patronum!"_ at once a gleaming silvery-white lion pounced from the end of Godric's wand and leapt into the air at a pace which the boggart underestimated. It was immediately thrown by the lion back into the chest by the feet of a first year from Rowena's own house.

"Thank you for that William" Godric said to the young boy; who had evidently been used to make the boggart look like one of the ghastly prison guards. She found this odd and yet slightly enlightening, it made a change from constantly seeing the _riddikulus _charm used on a Salazar look-alike.

"Rowena! May I have a word?" he asked hopefully. She gave a curt nod. "Yes Professor Gryffindor" and she followed him towards the far side of the room. They were blocked from view by a spiral staircase that led to the upper floor of the room they had built and named '_The Room of Requirement_'.

"We may have a problem" he put bluntly.

"What might that be?"

"I was exploring the upper floor last night and found something amongst one of the many piles of trinkets. . . . it was his locket"

"You mean- "

"Yes" he interrupted. "He must've found a way in last night; either that or he's been biding his time. I think we might have to evacuate the school"

"What?!"

"The attacks are becoming more frequent and much more violent. It is a miracle that no one has been murdered yet. Jocelyn Lowe has had to be sent home; her mother runs the apothecary where she will get much better treatment, I sent her in my own carriage".

"Thank you, Godric. She was one of my own students; I should have seen to it myself"

"Not to worry"

"But still, for a man whose house stands for courage and bravery you are being rather strange on this particular issue; evacuate the school?"

He took hold of her hand; "There are certain people who I do not want to see hurt. It is only a matter of time before pure-blood attacks begin"

"Who don't you want to see hurt?" they looked at each other for a long time. She gazed into those golden eyes and watched the pouncing lion behind his irises. He in turn watched her sapphire-coloured eyes and saw the majestic eagle circling over and over again as if wanting to tell him something. Rowena didn't breathe the entire time he looked at her; only when he turned and walked back to the sixth years did she let it out. A tear rolled down her cheek as she pondered whether or not in close proximity he was able to feel her pulse quicken when he held her hand.


	3. Crimson and Scarlet

"What was his name?"

"Edmund Peverell".

Rowena's initial reaction was of solemnity and contempt; now the crying had stopped. She couldn't bear to turn her head slightly and look into the golden eyes of Godric Gryffindor. He had been there for her when it was her students who had been attacked, and had even consoled Helga, but now that it was one of his own students he was completely lost for words.

"He was pure-blood" he whispered for only Rowena to hear.

"What?" she asked

"I told you it would come to this. I said he would start attacking any student who stood in his way" and he stormed out of the room with a fury than only a lion could emanate. Rowena had to lift her skirts slightly in order to catch up with him. His student had died and he was only fourteen, yet she was still slightly disheartened that Godric hadn't noticed her scarlet dress robes and her golden travelling cloak; the colours of Gryffindor house.

"What are you doing? Godric?" she inquired.

"I said that eventually a student would be murdered. We can train them as much as we want with the secret classrooms and defensive spells but he will never be able to accept that not all wizards are born wizards!"

Rowena stifled back another outburst of crying, "We worked so hard! My students told me today that they cannot wait to apply to be aurors at the Magisterium of Magic. MY students Godric; Helga's too, aurors! We are still teaching the students how to defend themselves!"

"No we're not. I'm going to send for the carriages to collect the students and then they will be taken back to their families"

"And what will we be doing"

"I have some unfinished business with _Professor Slytherin_" he sneered with as much sarcasm as he could muster; "and you will be leaving the school in your own carriage right after the students"

"No!"

"Do not argue with me Rowena!"

"But why do I have to go? Why is it so important that I'm out of the way?" Godric began to walk away from her and she grew even angrier.

"_Protego!"_ He was blocked by a transparent shield blocking the archway which he was trying to exit through. He turned on the spot, his crimson travelling cloak flying over his shoulder, and looked right at her.

"I taught you that charm" he muttered.

"You know the counter-curse" it was more of a statement than a question.

"That is correct"

"Then why don't you use it?"

She wasn't aware of what was happening before her hands were clutching desperately at the back of his robes. He had crossed the corridor in four strands and thrown his hands around her waste. _He kissed me._ And he still was. They were locked in an embrace for what felt like hours; his crimson robes and her scarlet dresses mingled together like the fire that was raging through both their bloodstreams as finally they broke apart from one another.

"So that's why you want me safe?"

"No. If Slytherin ends up destroying the school tonight I can't afford to lose any more members of staff in the wreckage" he said with a smile. They both laughed for a while at that; partly because the joke was genuinely amusing and partly to stall the moment when they had to let go of each others' panting figures.

"Salazar cannot marginalise the students at this school and I want to tell him that as much as you do" she said, flourishing her wand as if preparing for battle.

"But I don't want someone I- someone who I- someone important to me to die because I let them risk their lives like that".

"The lion may be courageous; but when he comes face-to-face in battle with the serpent he might stand a better chance of victory with an eagle by his side"

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes"

"Then meet me at the great hall before sundown. In the meantime lead your students to the entrance hall where the carriages will collect them". He began to walk off again; this time Rowena didn't need her shield charm to stop him.

"Godric?"

"Yes, Rowena?"

"I- " there was so much she wanted to say to him in that moment, so much that she might never get a chance to say if the serpent came out victorious tonight. The three words just didn't seem to be sufficient in expressing how much he meant to her. Ever since they had founded the school, Godric had been there for Rowena whenever she needed help or even just someone to talk to. Godric had never doubted her, never challenged her, and never acted superior to her when quite frankly he acted superior to everyone else. She did so much more than love him; she needed him in too many ways. But with the school in danger, as much as she wanted to there was no chance of her telling him now.

"Never mind, it's not important".

He turned around and left her standing alone in the corridor, but not before giving her one last look of devotion and love that Rowena only hoped was as powerful as the look she had given him for years.


	4. The Fleeing Badger

_"Piertotum Locomotor"_ He exclaimed as he cast his wand towards the brand new statues and suits of armour that decorated the hallways. Rowena watched him with both admiration and confusion.

"I've been working on this particular spell for a while" he said as if reading her thoughts.

"Hmm, and I thought you'd given up on teaching defensive spells" she replied, smirking.

"This is different. Not to cause offense to Helga but between you and me this spell is a favourite of mine and I'll make sure that only the future leaders of my house will know such a powerful charm"

"You have grown rather arrogant on the brink of war, Godric" came a silky and operatic voice from down the hallway. Helga Hufflepuff portrayed herself as a mother to her students and a helping hand to her beloved staff. Rowena's and Godric's students often made fun of Helga when her back was turned as (although Rowena would never dare say such a thing!) she lacked both the chivalry of Gryffindor and the shear wit of Ravenclaw. She was in fact a rather humble woman; but perhaps more of an excess than a deficiency.

"Ah Helga; I trust your students are safely in the carriages?"

"Alas dear Rowena! I am afraid that those of age have argued their right to join in with the fighting! Not at all in the Hufflepuff spirit if you ask me!"

"Of course! How selfish of them to defend the school and not your precious greenhouses" mumbled Godric, which thankfully Helga did not hear. Although Rowena tolerated her fellow female founder, Godric often grew agitated and frustrated at her lack of ruthlessness as a teacher and a witch.

"The more the merrier!" Rowena cheered. "After all, that rambunctious poltergeist informed me earlier that Slytherin has summoned the Black family to the castle"

"Surely not!"

"Apparently so. Although perhaps he shouldn't be believed, he was attempting to throw a boar's head at me as he was shouting the news! The head was rather intriguing to look at"

"Well then" said Godric, "Perhaps it should be boars that we mount atop the front gates after all this is done! Haha" which amused Rowena greatly; Helga, however, was not so thrilled.

"I would still prefer the animals of our houses to be displayed above the gates. And that poltergeist drives me absolutely peevish! He must've been lying about the presence of the Black family" Helga cried.

"_Peev_ish as he may seem Helga; he did sound genuine about it"

"I refuse to believe it for one second, why; the minute I leave this- " but she cut herself off before either of the listeners could do so instead.

"You're _leaving_?"

"You _can't _leave! This is war!"

"Now now Professors. I am alas too plump and stout to be of any use in battle; it would be much more beneficial for all of us if I depart from the grounds now and return to the school once the conflict has been resolved".

"You say you shall return" argued Godric with even more vehemence than he had shown in the hospital wing earlier "and yet you appear to be carrying that _precious _Goblet of yours".

"Ah! But, my dear Godric, if the castle was put to rubble this evening I couldn't cope having lost such a cherished heirloom, I only had it made two weeks since- Rowena, those are remarkably transfigured birds but why have you conjured them here?"

"_Oppugno_" Rowena whispered; watching the birds soar towards the gluttonous woman who already had one foot out of the archway into the grounds. Helga Hufflepuff was chased from the castle with her cup in her hands and a look of contempt on her face which suggested that she would love to return to the school as the only remaining founder.

"Rowena- "

"Don't, Godric. She was always going to leave she might as well run away like a coward now and get out the way!"

"I was just going to say; you executed_ Oppugno _magnificently. You've been practising". She blushed and looked straight at him. She hoped that in that moment he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to his him. It frustrated her more than Slytherin's attacks or Helga's flight that there wasn't time to say the things she wanted to say; to put her arms around him for what could be the second and last time.

"Thank you" she replied, before a sudden crash was heard from just beyond the entryway. It appeared that the Black family had found them.

"The badger has scarpered but the lion and the eagle are still in the forest" said Godric allegorically.

They made their way towards the flashes of green at the end of the passage.


	5. Wit Beyond Measure

As they turned the corner past the archway the duo came face to face with four hooded figures flourishing their wands and casting jets of green light in their direction. Godric; who unsheathed his own wand and sword in one swift movement; was now stationed behind the vacant plinth that had held up one of the many statues before he had brought them to life. Rowena was perched beside a large torch-lit pillar on the opposite side of the passageway and was desperately trying to grasp her own wand.

"I don't have a good target! It's up to you now!" Godric shouted across the space, sounding both desperately and surprisingly exhilarated.

"They're moving too quickly!"

"Use the jinx you've been working on!"

"I'm panicking I can't remember it!" but Rowena shut out all other sounds in order to structure her thoughts. She had started developing a new jinx shortly after the construction of the Room of Requirement had been finished. But in the chaos of the battle all logical thought had left the castle quicker than Helga Hufflepuff. _Think_ she said to herself; _think._

_Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure_.

Godric was now brandishing the jewel-encrusted sword at the oncoming duellers as if it was mightily superior to their killing curses; which in the hands of Godric Gryffindor it most certainly was.

"Quick, Rowena!"

_Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure._

"Now!"

"_Stupefy!_" she screamed. The sound of his compassionate and anxious voice had brought back the famous Ravenclaw wittiness she needed to remember her experimental jinx; and for the first time she saw a jet of soaring red light make contact with a wizard whom she recognised but was terrified to see before her.

"Aloysius Black" she whispered into the now quiet corridor.

"Godric, Rowena, how very pleasant to be duelling with you on such a fine and revolutionary evening" bellowed yet another familiar voice. The snide words of Seraphine Black were like ice and poison at the centre of a hurricane.

"So it's true; that the Blacks have sided with Slytherin" Godric stated as if hoping the evidence before his eyes was an illusion.

"Wasn't that obvious? We are from a wizarding family even more ancient and noble than that of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw and even Slytherin! Our blood is the equivalent of gold compared to the dirt that runs through the veins of those you sympathise with. The Dark Lord will lead us in our quest to purge the world of the filth he has appropriately named _mudbloods_.

"That is vulgar and horrific!" Rowena urged.

"Who is the Dark Lord?" asked Godric. Seraphine laughed; "Salazar will be renowned as the first and greatest dark wizard and for centuries his heirs will aspire to replicate his noble deeds!"

"_Noble!_"

"But first we must settle the matter of _you_" she pointed at Rowena, "stunning my husband!" Seraphine's mane of coarse black hair shook with the rage in her voice as she gestured towards Aloysius on the floor beside her. "Joseph, Bertrand; seize their wands! But before the two sons could so much as approach them; Godric had thrown the goblin-made sword at Seraphine and Rowena had aimed another two stunning jinxes in the direction of the Blacks.

"_Avada Kadavra!_" echoed Bertrund's voice, whose curse missed the pair of them by inches but did in fact find a target. _"Argh!"_ cried a male voice from the passageway entrance; and Rowena turned in time to see a seventh year Hufflepuff student fall to the floor and there remained motionless. _Ronan Abbott _she thought _and his head of house ran at the first chance she got_. At this point more students and staff members were emerging into the corridor-turned-battleground. One of whom was the short-and-round hospital matron Wynona Pomfrey who has already taken down one of the Blacks before she had even crossed the threshold. Anger filled inside Rowena as she thought of a coward's words not-too-long ago. _I am alas too plump and stout to be of any use in battle; it would be much more beneficial for all of us if I depart from the grounds now and return to the school once the conflict has been resolved. _If she survived this she would be having harsh words with a certain founder.

"Go!" the matron shouted, who was now stood right in front of Rowena and Godric. "We can take care of the Blacks, go and deal with Professor Slytherin!" and at once the duo turned on the spot and darted towards the far end of the passage.

_"Stupefy!"_ Rowena screamed one last time as the doors were blocked by yet more hooded figures. They found themselves outside the Great Hall in what felt like seconds compared to their encounter with the Blacks.

"I do love you Rowena, someone with a Ravenclaw's intelligence and wit surely must have known that all along" Godric blurted boldly. The statement caught her unawares and it was moments before ultimate pleasure and happiness swarmed through her heart.

"Oh Godric, I-"

"No time for that. You can tell me how much you love me too and how extremely dashing and handsome I am once we have made a much needed staff redundancy" and with a smile on his face he kissed her with such determination that their meeting with Slytherin was suspended for a few glorious moments. Then, mustering the courage and nerve of Gryffindor himself, Rowena followed him into the Great Hall.


	6. The Lion and the Eagle

_"I'd hoped those retched followers of mine would have disposed of you already!"_ he hissed as his fellow founders entered the room; although they wouldn't understand what he was saying as it was spoken in a language only he could speak. Salazar Slytherin had insisted on his portraits to depict him as an illusive elderly scholar as he himself claimed that ambition could only be obtained after years of instruction. However he was in fact quite youthful; close-cropped black hair and eyes as green as the emerald serpents entwined around his wrists.

"May I help you Professor Gryffindor?" he asked, in English this time. The misogynistic wizard barely noticed Rowena stood on the right of the man he was addressing, which gave her the opportunity to draw her wand prematurely.

"As you well know, Slytherin" began Godric, injecting as much venom into his voice as that of the head of Slytherin house, "you _do not_ have the authority to choose which students are allowed to attend this school based on the 'quality' of their blood".

"Furthermore" added Rowena; ensuring that she was including in this much anticipated conversation; "if you ever had such authority Salazar it would never allow the students to be expelled by violence and _death_ which is far worse than _any _child with non-magical parents!"

"I am afraid we have come to a disagreement, professors; for there lies the problem. I should point out that I would of course never use such authority to purge the school of mudbloods, for I would also use it to banish those who defend them-" but Salazar was interrupted by Godric.

"Is that a threat?"

"It is a death warrant"

_"Stupefy!" _and streams of light the colour of her robes spiralled from Rowena's wand but collided with the tapestry about the staff table depicting the crest of Slytherin house.

"Next time it will be the one emblazoned on your shirt front!" she jeered.

"Is that a threat, Rowena?"

"'It is a death warrant'" interjected Godric, mocking Slytherin's earlier come back. The three founders took cover in different corners of the hall; Salazar next to his fallen tapestry, Godric to the right of the doors and Rowena aside the Hufflepuff table. After what felt like an agonisingly strained period the duellers rose at once and each case their signature spells across the expense of tables and benches.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

_"Stupefy!"_

_"Avada Kadavra!"_

Godric's spell had successfully disarmed their opponent and thankfully neither of them had been hit by Salazar's curse. But as the pair of them ran to retrieve his wand from between the two centre tables, he spoke in that same eerily shiver-inspiring language that turned the emerald serpents around his wrists into actual snakes than slithered across the paved floor towards them immediately.

_"Kill them!" _he urged the creatures. Rowena aimed her wand at the closest snake and began to flourish it in circular motions-

_"Incendio!" _she chanted; watching the flames dance around the reptile as if encasing it in a deadly cage. She glanced over her shoulder and witnessed Godric attempting to harm his serpent pursuer with the sword.

"Throw it!" she begged him.

"What?"

"Throw the sword and when I say so cast the charm Helga taught us!"

"How on earth will that help?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Always"

"Then throw the sword!"

He threw the sword not in the direction of the snakes or Slytherin; who was now gleefully observing the chaos and destruction that the emblems of his house had caused within the great hall; but towards the centre of the room at nothing in particular.

_"Incendio"_ Rowena spoke proudly; she had remembered Godric's teachings on goblin-made steel and how it absorbed only what made it strong. Almost immediately the sword carried a permanent blazing flame of orange and red upon the blade as it continued to soar below the suspended candles where the ceiling should have been.

"Now, Godric!"

_"Wingardium Leviosa!" _they shouted together with their wands pointed at the flaming sword. If it had been any other pair that tried to control the flight of a levitated object at the same time the plan would have already been obliterated; but in the years that she had known and loved Godric, Rowena had begun to think like he did and cast her spells just as chivalrously and so together they were unstoppable. _Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure, but courage and bravery are also _she thought. They used the blade to decapitate both of the serpents and were filled with hope and victory as their singed bodies fell to the floor; when finally they let the sword drop.

_"Crucio!"_ It had happened as if in slow motion. She felt her muscles contort and her whole body was sent into an excruciating spasm that she couldn't control as she had controlled the sword of Gryffindor. She looked helplessly at Godric on the floor beside her who was writhing as if in just as much physical and psychological torment as she was.

"My own creation" Slytherin told them mockingly, "Designed to put my enemies in their 'proper place' as it were. It took a great deal of time to get it strong enough for wizards, though, the initial trials were carried out on the mudblood students at the school. The Peverell child was a sat back of course. I didn't want to use it on wizards if it spilt worthy blood".

Tears were rolling down Rowena's cheeks as the pain was growing worse and worse and her cried even more at the sight of blood running down Godric's fingers as he dug his nails into his palms. It felt as if her heart was being plucked at and her brain struck by lightning. She wanted to die in that one moment and so couldn't throw a retort in Salazar's face, but suddenly her fingers were tingling and she hand became comfortingly warm. Godric had fought the torture and made his way towards her just so he could hold her hand.

"Aha, of course!" Slytherin sneered, "As long as there are students worth protecting my torture curse will never stop you fighting back; I need to strike you where it hurts the most if you are to lose hope".

"What – are - you – talking – about?" they both strained to ask.

"One of my many secret endeavours outside this castle was to instruct myself in magic more advanced than you two and haughty-Hufflepuff could ever hope to master. One of which was taught to me by one of the ancient soothsayers from the original witch tribes. The spell is meant to erase the memories of one's enemy; after performing the spell I will be leaving this despicable castle immediately".

"You – have made – your – intentions – clear tonight – Slytherin" gasped Godric; "Someone will – tell – us – we can never – forget – you were – here".

"I am well aware of that, noble Godric. I am afraid your secret affection for Professor Ravenclaw has not gone unnoticed by me and my students and I believe it is this which has softened the pair of you. Perhaps you will take a better approach to selecting future students if you were to forget you ever loved one another"

"NO!"

"I believe you have no choice in the matter, you can't exactly resist such an affective charm in your current condition".

Salazar Slytherin drew his wand once more and all Rowena could think of was how not only would she rather die than forget her feeling for Godric, but she would never be able to tell him all those things she wanted him to know so much.

_Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure._

Of course, Rowena Ravenclaw wasn't an acclaimed academic witch and professor for nothing at all, she was mastered in legilimency. Rather than use her wand to throw a jinx at Slytherin which he would only too easily dodge; she pointed it and Godric and said in her mind with tears in her eyes: _legilimens._ And Godric slowly looked at her.

_Even if I spend every day for the rest of my_ _life not knowing it, I will love you just as much as I have loved you since the day we raised those four tapestries in this hall. When God meets me in heaven after I die he will tell me of us and how I had been forced to forget it, and I will be happy that I got to spend those momentous weeks with you. I love you and it is killing me to know that I will never be able to say that with my own lips and have you kiss them one more time. Promise me that you'll keep hold of my hand for as long as we still have left because no matter how strong and independent you think I am, I will always need you by my side; the lion and the eagle._

For the first time in all the time she had known Godric Gryffindor, she saw a river of tears running down his handsome face and in that moment she knew that he had wanted to say the same thing, that he felt the same way, that although he was bravery in human form there would always be apart of his courage missing when they could no longer hold each other.

_The lion and the eagle_

_"Obliviate!"_


	7. Epilogue

"As you are all well aware" echoed the voice of Godric Gryffindor across the great hall; wearing his finest hat and most elaborate robes, "Professor Slytherin, as of the events of last night, is no longer a teacher at this school and all those students who aided him in the battle have been expelled.

"But none of the remaining heads of house are able to deem students eligible for Slytherin house as we all have our own preferences in students". Helga has returned with the students early in the morning via the carriage that she had so gratefully escaped the battle in and was now perched quite proudly at the staff table. Rowena didn't feel like facing the students who had lost older brothers and sisters amongst the fighting but she had been warned by Gryffindor that failure to make an appearance would result in immediate departure from the grounds. So she stood in the corner by the rear exit from the hall, feeling strangely empty inside.

"That is why we will no longer be selecting our students independently; but instead with an impartial adjudicator" and at that he removed the fine wizard hat from his magnificent brown hair. He cast a charm on it than none of the other staff members had ever heard before and within the seconds a slit appeared above the rim as if it had come to life.

"This, students, is the sorting hat; it has the interests of the four original founders' preferences in mind and this is how first years will be placed into the houses of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin".

A sudden round of applause erupted from the crowd of students; the news was accepted as remarkable after the tragic events of the previous night. They had lost Wynona Pomfrey as well as a number of brave seventh year students who had stayed to fight, and Rowena was sure she had suffered another loss but no matter how much she thought about it she couldn't think what it was. Aloysius and Seraphine Black had both been apprehended and given to the prison guards who have seen taken their souls and disposed of the remaining corpses. Unfortunately the two sons had escaped, so there was a chance the ancient Black family would continue for many more years.

Rowena hadn't even realised that the students were exiting the hall and suddenly it was just the three heads of house left in the room.

"Dear Rowena" whispered Helga's operatic voice, "you look positively morbid! Has there been another event which has made you so glum?" But before she could respond Gryffindor came striding towards the two women.

"I have appointed myself as headmaster of the school until further notice; which means that whilst I convene with the governors I expect both of you to recommence normal teaching practices immediately"

"But-"

"You are very lucky to still be a teacher at this school Miss Ravenclaw and so should refrain from arguing with me. Now I don't remember all the events of last night but I found you _dozing _in the hall as Slytherin as escaping so you had better hope the aurors find him before I let them find you!"

Without another word he stormed out of the great hall and his footsteps could be heard ascending the stairs. Rowena had no idea why but nevertheless she was crying as if someone she loved didn't love her anymore.

_End._


End file.
